Back when I worked in a cubicle farm (my first corporate job) — I remember realizing how unproductive our countless meetings would be. We would have daily meetings, some going over 2-3 hours, and when the team would walk out we would just all stare at each other more confused than when we first started the meeting.
As much as I disliked that job (so many spreadsheets!) it did teach me how important it is to keep things simple when it comes to meetings.
Now meetings are more exciting for me as I get to chat with other creatives and brainstorm ideas for their brands. But I still have learned that some structure should take place when having any type of meeting so that your time is used wisely.
Here are my 3 tips on how to have a productive meeting every single time.
1. Be Prepared: Before any meeting starts I like to have a small outline of the topics that will be discussed — any points I want to mention and questions that come to mind. This helps me know what we need to talk about and get straight to work. It also helps avoid those moments where you blank out and forget to ask the important questions.
2. Put Away All Distractions: Whether you are meeting face-to-face or having a Skype session I always put my phone away, turn off any social media on my computer screen, and close my inbox. This helps me stay focused and on task. And no awkward moment when you don’t hear a question someone is asking you (we’ve all been there).
3. Have a Time Limit: Keep meetings between 30-60 minutes long. When working a corporate job we would have meetings that would go over 3 hours (zzz!). The issue with that is that after an hour your mind wanders off to other things and you leave the meeting with nothing gained and just feeling behind on the work that is waiting for you. I feel that placing a time limit on meetings helps everyone stay on task and feels much more productive.
Hope these tips help you use your time wisely during you next meeting.
-Melissa
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